1901s barber dime

As I've learned with price charting guides from baseball cards to comics to video games, it's worth what someone else is willing to pay and not always what the price chart says.
 
Coin cleaning

I have always felt that you should never use anything but dish washing soap and warm water. That and a soft toothbrush and you should be OK.
 
Thanks again for all this!
I've cleaned a few 60s silver with baking soda and didn't really like the result. I think I prefer the character of the patina.

I'm probably never going to sell this one anyway, it's my first decent silver. For now it's in a protective sleeve and it's the coin I pick up and admire most. I definitely get more pleasure out of the find than the maybe $150 bucks it's worth!
In the name of all collectors in the world please don't clean it. :no: Otherwise incredible find congratulations.
 
I found this beauty key date barber dime at a beach town in Canada. There was a big hotel by the lake in the early 1900s, so I guess we hosted some Americans back in the day. Found it in a treed park area, NOTHING else there. I think the place has been hit hard. Got lucky with this one, really faint signal!

I know very little about grading coins. I was hoping for some help on determining the condition and value of it. There is some staining, but the detail is pretty good. You can read most of "liberty" on the head and I'd say there is very little wear.

Should the staining be cleaned? I'm afraid to touch it, so I've only cleaned it with water.
Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

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The coin would grade Very Fine except for the staining. That will definitely knock it down some. You might be able to get rid of some of the staining by cleaning it with warm water and a small amount of toothpaste. Just don't rub too hard when cleaning it. Looking at it I think the stains are going to be on that coin permanently.
 
I would guess it would grade between vg8 and f12, based on the word Liberty on her head band. It shows a little faintness on a couple of the higher letters, bottom of the B, R, and bottom of the T. These are the most commonly worn letters, plus the environmental damage will affect the value. I am leaning to a f12 grade.
 
The coin would grade Very Fine except for the staining. That will definitely knock it down some. You might be able to get rid of some of the staining by cleaning it with warm water and a small amount of toothpaste. Just don't rub too hard when cleaning it. Looking at it I think the stains are going to be on that coin permanently.

I have to concur with D4C here. VF details but the environmental damage is gonna kill it as far as getting it slabbed.

IF a guy was going to sell it, he could probably get a decent price on eBay with a gentle water and toothpaste or dish soap clean and then carry it around with some other silver change for a week or so to get a more natural appearance on it. Most of the buyers there aren't going to be worried that much if they're filling an album or whatnot and would be glad to have her.

Really nice dig and congrats on liberating that beauty!
 
Graders can see the fine scratch marks left behind by rubbing. Looking at a coin under flat light is way different than what is seen under a 60 watt bulb under magnification. By controlling the direction of the light a grader can see all of the flaws.

It already has environmental damage from being in the ground. Don't add to the damage by using any cleaning method.

If you don't think baking soda or a nylon brush or a Kleenex for that matter will harm a coin because it is softer than silver...it will. Take another silver coin and try it. Afterward, look at it under high magnification lit by an incandescent bulb in a dark room. The micro scratches will be there.
 
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